title: Evaluation of patients undergoing removal of glass fragments from injured hands: a retrospective study.
abstract: The hand is the body part most frequently injured by broken glass. Glass fragments lodged in soft tissues may result in numerous complications, such as infection, delayed healing, persistent pain, and late injury as a result of migration. Between 2005 and 2010, we removed 46 glass particles from the hands of 26 patients. The injuries were caused by the following: car windows broken during motor vehicle accidents in 11 patients (42%); fragments from broken glasses, dishes, or bottles in 9 (35%); the hand passing through glass in 5 (19%); and a fragment from a broken fluorescent lamp in 1 (4%) patient. Despite the efficacy of plain radiographs in detecting glass fragments, these are sometimes not obtained. Given the relatively low cost, accessibility, and efficacy of radiographs, and the adverse consequences of retained foreign bodies, the objections to obtaining radiographs should be few in diagnosing glass-related injuries of the hand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Istanbul Bilim University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. serdartuncer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Ismail Bulent
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Ozcelik
authors.forename: Berkan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mersa
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kabakas
authors.forename: Turker
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005898:Glass; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult